Adaptive pneumatic sitting and reclining cushion for vehicles and aircraft

ABSTRACT

The inventive sitting and reclining cushion is divided into a seat cushion and a back cushion, which are configured in an essentially identical manner. A sleeve ( 4 ) consisting of a textile material with low elasticity contains a plurality of tubular pockets ( 5 ) consisting of an identical material and joined longitudinally to said sleeve by means of seams ( 6 ). Each pocket ( 5 ) is likewise connected to its neighbour or neighbours by means of seams ( 6 ). Each pocket ( 5 ) contains a pouch ( 7 ), which consists of an elastic plastic and comprises a valve ( 8 ), and can be filled with compressed air. As a result, the pockets ( 5 ) modify their shape, thus tensioning the sleeve ( 4 ) and forming the actual sitting or reclining surface. The optimised shape of the cushion structure can be adapted to individual requirements for comfort by means of different air pressures in the pouches ( 7 ).

The present invention relates to an adaptive pneumatic seat cushion andbackrest cushion for vehicles and aeroplanes, according to theprecharacterising part of claim 1. Pneumatic seat cushions and backrestcushions are known per se. As a rule they comprise a multitude of airtubes, arranged side by side, which can be aerated and de-aerated by wayof a common valve, with the design and construction of such pneumaticseat cushions and backrest cushions being similar to that of known airmattresses. Certain adaptation options consist of having different airpressure settings in individual tubes, as a result of which the shapeand softness can be varied to a limited extent. For practicalapplication, such cushions are provided with a textile cover. However,the basic structure of the tubes remains visible and—an essential factorin a cushion—can also be felt.

It is the object of the present invention to create a seat cushion andbackrest cushion that is adaptive within a wide range; meets very highrequirements in relation to seating comfort; can achieve noticeableweight savings when compared to conventional foam cushions; and duringwhose manufacture existing seat shell constructions can easily be takeninto account.

The object is met by the essential characteristics set out in claim 1,and by further advantageous characteristics set out in the other claims.The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the encloseddrawing.

The following are shown:

FIG. 1 a perspective of a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 a section AA of the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 a perspective of a second embodiment;

FIG. 4 a longitudinal section AA of the second embodiment; and

FIG. 5 a longitudinal section BB of the second embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a seat cushionand backrest cushion according to the invention, in this instance of asimple design, for example for a means of mass transportation. Thecushion is divided into a seat cushion 1 and a backrest cushion 2. Theseare individual units and are for example joined by a textile connection3. Any seat cover that may be used has been removed. Also not shown isthe actual seat structure because it forms part of the state of the artand does not form part of the subject matter of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a section AA of the seat cushion 1 and diagrammaticallyshows the interior structure of said seat cushion 1: it comprises ashell 4, made from a textile material which is preferably of lowelasticity. Inserted into this shell 4 are a plurality of tubulartextile pockets 5, which are also of low elasticity, wherein saidtextile pockets, along seams 6, are connected to the shell 4 on the onehand and to each other on the other hand. Each pocket 5 comprises apouch 7 which consists of an elastic plastic material and comprises avalve 8 for aeration and de-aeration. If the pouches 7 are filled withcompressed air, then—due to the tensor character of the pressure—eachpouch 7 strives to assume a circular cross sectional shape. However, theshape of the pockets 5 and their connection to the shell 4 preventsthis. However, the shell 4 is tensioned as a result of this restriction.Consequently, the actual seat surface is not formed by the sum of thepockets 5, but instead by the top of the tensioned shell 4, whichresults in a significant change both in the feel and comfort of theseat. Since each pouch 7 can be individually filled with compressed air,different pressures can be provided for individual pouches. In this waythe seating comfort can be matched to individual requirements.

In principle, the design shown in FIG. 2 is the same for the seatcushion and the backrest cushion 2. Of course individual parameters suchas the number of pockets 5 and their width and height as well as the airpressure in them can be selected so as to be different.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the seat cushion 1 and backrestcushion 2 with shapes which more closely fit the anatomical form.However, as shown in FIG. 4 the basic structure of the shell 4, pockets5 and pouches 7 remains the same. The cross dimensions of the pockets 5and the pouches 7 are however made in such a way that the pockets 5, ofwhich there are two for example, which pockets are situated against oron the border of the seat cushion 1, are selected so as to be largerthan those which together form the seat surface.

In FIGS. 2 and 3 the pockets 5 in the seat cushion 1 are arrangedparallel to the direction of the seat, while in the backrest cushion 2they are arranged in the top-to-bottom direction, to which FIGS. 4 and 5also refer. Of course it is also possible to arrange the pockets both inthe seat cushion 1 and in the backrest cushion 2 so as to be across thedirections mentioned, with the consequence for FIG. 5 being that thecontour arrangement is symmetrical.

FIG. 4, which represents a section AA of FIG. 3, shows the secondembodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal section BB of FIG. 3, for example throughone of the outside pockets 5. In the present embodiment, said pocket 5is contoured such that its height is reduced from the front towards themiddle and is increased again towards the rear. Of course other designsalso fall within the scope of the inventive step. One can thus generallystate that the cross dimensions of the pockets 5 vary along theirlongitudinal dimensions. For example, individual pockets 5 can have aconical taper from the front to the rear—or vice versa—or their crosssection can be constant in shape and size. As the pockets 5 are madefrom textile materials, such shapes are state of the art. This equallyapplies to the likewise form-defining shell 4. This shell 4 can forexample be open at the rear of the seat cushion so that the connectionsbetween the valves 8 and the air hoses 9 can be made only once the seatcushion has been made.

The above explanations relating to the seat cushion of course equallyapply to the backrest cushion 2. The dimensions of the pockets 5, theirnumber and the air pressures to be applied can easily be adapted to theparticular requirements to be met so that optimum seat comfort can beachieved. Since seat comfort depends on the body dimensions of theseated person, each pouch 7 inserted in a pocket 5 can individually befilled with compressed air. In this way the basic design, which has beenanatomically optimised, can in addition be personally optimised.

The fact that form and behaviour of seat cushion 1 and backrest cushion2 are primarily defined by the tensioned shell 4, and the pockets 5 withpouches 7 primarily serve to tension and form the shell is decisive andin accordance with the invention.

Attaching the seat cushion 1 and the backrest cushion 2 in a given seatstructure or seat shell preferably takes place by two or moreadherence-type closure strips which can also be attached to the shell 4by sewing, and to the seat structure by way of adhesion. Other ways ofattachment, such as for example by clamps or buttons, also fall withinthe scope of this invention.

1. An adaptive pneumatic seat cushion (1) and backrest cushion (2) forvehicles and aeroplanes, characterised in that it comprises a seatcushion (1) and a backrest cushion (2) which can be connected; both theseat cushion (1) and the backrest cushion (2) comprise the followingcharacteristics: a plurality of tubular pockets (5), arranged side byside, consisting of a textile material of low elasticity, of whichpockets (5) each is connected to the adjacent pockets by means of seams(6); each pocket (5) comprises a pouch (7) which consists of an elasticplastic material with a valve (8), which pocket can be filled withcompressed air; the totality of the pockets (5) are enclosed by a shell(4) made of a textile material of low elasticity, wherein said pockets(5) are sewn to the shell (4) along further seams (6), such that theshell (4) when the pouches (7) are filled with compressed air istensioned and thus forms the actual seat or backrest surface.
 2. Thepneumatic seat cushion and backrest cushion according to claim 1,characterised in that the pockets (5) in the seat cushion (1) arearranged parallel to the direction of the seat, while in the backrestcushion (2) said pockets (5) are arranged in the top-to-bottomdirection.
 3. The pneumatic seat cushion and backrest cushion accordingto claim 1, characterised in that the pockets (5) both in the seatcushion (1) and in the backrest cushion (2) are arranged across theseat.
 4. The pneumatic seat cushion and backrest cushion according toclaim 2 or 3, characterised in that all the pockets (5) in the seatcushion (1) on the one hand, and in the backrest cushion (2) on theother hand, are of the same size.
 5. The pneumatic seat cushion andbackrest cushion according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that thecross dimensions of the pockets (5) are differently selected such thatoptimum seating comfort can be achieved.
 6. The pneumatic seat cushionand backrest cushion according to claim 5, characterised in that eachpocket (5) can individually be filled with compressed air.
 7. Thepneumatic seat cushion and backrest cushion according to claim 2 or 3,characterised in that the cross dimensions of the pockets (5) vary withtheir longitudinal dimensions.